Knifeman 'shouts Allahu Akbar' before stabbing two people dead and injuring 'at least seven others' outside a bakery in France

A knifeman stabbed two people to death and injured seven others outside a bakery in France.

The attack which took place around 11am this morning, April 4, comes as the country is on its third week of lockdown due to the Coronavirus.

The attacker is said to have shouted "Allahu Akbar" before stabbing at least 9 people who

were queuing to go into the bakery in Romans-sur-Isère, southern France, local media reports.

The alleged attacker - who said he was from Sudan - stabbed a Romanian resident who had just left his home for his daily walk, local media reports. He slit the man's throat in front of his girlfriend and son.

Following that the assailant entered a tobacco shop, stabbed the tobacconist and two customers, and then went into the local butcher's shop, the reports add. 

He grabbed another knife and attacked a client with the blunt end before entering a supermarket. Some shoppers took refuge in a nearby bakery.

Prosecutors did not identify the suspected attacker. They said he had no documents but claimed to be Sudanese and to have been born in 1987. 

The anti-terrorism prosecutor's office said it is evaluating whether the attack was motivated by terrorism, but that it has not launched any formal proceedings to treat it as such.

France is observing strict lockdown prompted by the Coronavirus pandemic. Under France's strict lockdown, all residents must stay inside except for essential outside such as shopping or going to the doctor.

The country has more than 83,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and upwards of 6,500 died from the bug.